Action Plan for Learning
School Name: Riverside Secondary School
School Goal: Transition - Graduation Rates
School Year: 2014-2015
Goal / Inquiry
Student learning
To increase the number of students successfully transitioning from grade to grade and
graduating
Rationale
1-3 reasons for choosing
goal
The transition between grade eight and grade nine can be difficult for many students as
they adjust to the less structured environment of a secondary school. Some students
quickly fall behind and have trouble catching up. We need to therefore continue to
focus our efforts on monitoring and supporting grade nine students through their first
year in secondary school.
Approximately 30-40 students each year are within 3 courses (12 credits) of
graduation. Many of these students are in the courses required for graduation, but are
borderline passing for various circumstances. Ensuring these students successfully
complete their courses will ensure that our first time graduation rates either remain
high or increase.
References
and
sources to
support
actions
www.casel.org
http://www.sd43.bc.ca/secondary/riverside/ProgramsServices/Technology/Grade91to1/Documents
/1%20to%201%20Overview/Fluencies.pdf
Backup
Document
ation
Planned Actions
Continuing practices
working well (1-3)
 What will we do
differently? (1-3)
 How will we provide for
staff development and
collaboration?
Focus on a smooth transition for grade nine students- Allocation of 2.0 FTE LIF staffing
to:
- Provide mentorship and build capacity of our staff working with grade 9/10 students in
the areas of technology for learning (in a 1:1 environment) and strategies to
differentiate and support students with diverse needs. This would include co-planning,
co-teaching, and providing in-service. Since we are digital 1:1 with all our grade 9s, 10s,
11s, we see that we can utilize assistive technology to benefit students with diverse
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 How will we involve
parents?
 How will we involve
students?
 How will we monitor
progress and adjust
actions?
needs. Furthermore, we intend to work with staff to use Edublogs as a tool for
showcasing and communicating student learning over time.
-Build capacity with staff in the areas of Mental Health/Social and Emotional Learning,
particularly with respect to Relationships, Care, Culture, Compassion, and Sense of
Belonging. Staff capacity is being built through in-service with Miriam Miller and
Colleen Drobot. A learning team has been created to begin gathering data around the
above 5 key areas.
- Work collaboratively with the Math 9 teachers to provide an inclusive learning
environment that supports students being articulated from middle school as being well
below grade level.
How will we involve parents?




Regular updates at PAC and SPC meetings
Continued involvement in Southside Family of Schools initiatives
More frequent parent information evenings on specific topics of interest to
parents
Communication on relevant topics via newsletters, blog, and web-site
How will we involve students?




Utilize student leaders to assist with transitioning (orientation, intramurals,
technology support, peer tutoring)
Survey students to gather more specific data on connection to the school, pride,
involvement, inclusion, and relationships.
Involve students in the analysis of data and development of actions that may
enhance grade to grade transition with respect to the areas of relationships,
care, culture, compassion, and sense of belonging
Create a student working group as part of the learning team to bring forward a
student perspective in the above areas and to assist with developing an action
plan to support those areas.
How will we monitor progress and adjust actions:







More frequent examination of report card and provincial exam data on school
and department levels
Counsellors and student services will continue to monitor students at risk as the
year progresses.
Counsellors will continue to review each grade 12 program to make sure they
are meeting graduation requirements. Furthermore, any grade 12s who are
eligible for graduation, but at risk of not graduating due to lower than passing
marks, will be placed on a plan of assistance with counsellors, teachers, and
administrators.
Teachers will review student success on a regular basis to make sure students
receive the support they may need.
Report card and exam data will be reviewed by school leaders with
their departments to look for groups that may need additional support.
Continue with practice of examining individual student concerns, putting plans
in place to address every at-risk student though SBT, CoAd meetings, etc.
Conduct interviews/surveys of our grade nine students pertaining to
(connection to school and transitioning), as well as analyze achievement and
attendance data to provide support and direction for grade 8 to 9 transition.
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

Identifying, after 1st interim, which students are struggling with the grade 8 to 9
transition, creating a support group to address issues for those students
and connect them to other students in similar situations.
Implement Care and Concern meetings with parents/student/school team
shortly after the first interim report card to ensure support services are in place
for those students not transitioning well in grade 9.
Backup Documentation
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Documentation of learning
Key evidence of change
 How did your actions
make a difference?
 Choose 1-3 pieces of
evidence to demonstrate
the impact your actions
have had on student
learning to meet your
goal.
 Documentation could
include video, survey
results, performance
standard data, anecdotal
evidence, work samples,
etc.
Grade to Grade Transitions (2013/2014):
Grade 9
Grade 10
98%
98%
Grade 11
93%
Eligible Grade 12 Graduation Rate (2013/2014): 96%
Grade to grade transition rates remain consistent from year to year, with a slight
drop in the grade 11 transition rate over the previous year (95% in 2012/2013).
The graduation rate also saw a slight drop to 96% over the 5 year average of
96.6%.
Backup Documentation
Reflection Highlights
 Where are we now?
 What are some patterns
emerging?
 What surprised you?
 What conclusions /
inferences might you
draw?
 How does this inform
potential next steps?
From the grade to grade transition rate, we were surprised to see that our grade 11
transition rate has decreased slightly. We believe that part of this is due to an increase
in enrollment of later arriving youth where English is a second language.
Our grade to grade transition rates, particularly at grade 9 and 10 appear to be strong.
We will continue with LIF support as well as a digital fluencies focus to further develop
students in the areas of collaboration, critical thinking/problem solving, research,
creativity, and media. Furthermore, we will continue to develop strategies for
increasing language proficiency with ELL students.
We will also continue our work with respect to our focus on SEL. We intend to gather
data with respect to Relationships and Connections, Care/Support, School Culture,
Compassion, and Sense of Belonging. Our learning team will prioritize an area of focus
for 2015 based on a needs assessment through data gathered, and develop actions to
support that area of need.
Backup Documentation
(Delete this section if Literacy is your main goal)
Literacy Data
Attach the following :
 Classroom Assessment
 School Assessment
 FSA results
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Signatures
School Name: Riverside Secondary School
School Goal: Transition - Graduation Rates School Year: 2015
Submitted by School Planning Council:
Title
Name
Principal
Anthony Ciolfitto
Parent
Dave Grant
Parent
Edward Ram
Parent
Susan Green
Recommended by Assistant Superintendent:
Assistant Superintendent
Julie Pearce
Board and Superintendent Approval:
Board Chair
Judy Shirra
Superintendent
Patricia Gartland
Print this page, have it signed by
School Planning Council, scan it and
attach it here
Page 5 of 5
Signature